Curried Lentil-Squash Soup – Recipes

Curried Lentil-Squash Soup

A dish of curried lentil soup

Soup is very popular in our house. I often make a big batch, serve some for our midday or evening meal, and freeze the rest for quick future meals. It’s great having homemade soup all ready to go on extra-busy days, or when I’m too tired to cook.

With a basket of whole-grain bread or crackers, soup is a meal in itself. I usually keep a bowl of fresh fruit handy, so I can add apple slices, grapes or whatever is in season, as a sweet finish.

This lovely golden soup is adapted from a popular Middle Eastern dish. Red lentils cook very quickly, much faster than most beans and other legumes. Lentils, cumin, turmeric, and many kinds of squash are popular throughout the Middle and Far Eastern countries, and the combination makes a really hearty, nourishing, and well-balanced dish. Lentils, onions, garlic and yogurt are also prebiotic and probiotic foods, nourishing our microbiome.

In fact, the best thing about soup like this one is that you get lots of vegetables plus protein all in one bowl. And that says nothing about the fiber, complex carbohydrates, and PD-benefits of turmeric. If you use levodopa and cannot tolerate dairy, omit the yogurt.

Add lentils and water, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and let simmer. Check after 15-20 minutes to see if it needs more water. Mixture should not be too thick, so add more water if needed. Cook until lentils are quite tender and starting to fall apart, about 30-40 minutes total. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir well, and taste for seasoning, adding additional vinegar or lemon juice and salt if needed.

Pureed curried lentil soup

At this point, soup may be served as is, or pureed in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender. Serve, passing parsley or cilantro, scallions, chopped tomato, and yogurt at the table, so people can season their soup as they like. Pita bread plus lentils makes a complete protein.